Study Desk

And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea.^(a) He^[a] had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems,^(b) and on his heads were blasphemous names.^[b](c)

The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear's, and his mouth was like a lion's mouth.^(d) The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded,^[c] but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.^[d](e)

They worshiped the dragon^(f) because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast?^(g) Who is able to wage war against him?"

A mouth was given to him to speak boasts and blasphemies.^(h) He was also given authority to act^[e][f] for 42 months.⁽ⁱ⁾

He began to speak^[g] blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling—those who dwell in heaven.

And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.^(j)

All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book^[h] of life^(k) of the Lamb who was slaughtered.^[i](l)

If anyone has an ear, he should listen:^(m)

If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone is to be killed^[j] with a sword, with a sword he will be killed.⁽ⁿ⁾ This demands the perseverance^[k] and faith of the saints.^(o)

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb,^[l](p) but he sounded like a dragon.

He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people.

He deceives those who live on the earth^(q) because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast,^(r) telling those who live on the earth to make an image^[m] of the beast who had the sword wound and yet lived.

He was permitted to give a spirit^[n] to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

And he requires everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark^[o] on his right hand or on his forehead,^(s)

so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast's name or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom:^[p](t) The one who has understanding must calculate^[q] the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man.^[r] His number is 666.^[s]